Bad Habits at Work Worth Breaking

Calendars, meetings and the obligatory schedules of everyday life in an office help to establish a familiar routine. While a certain amount of predictability and comfort may be necessary in any job, it can also lead to the development of some bad habits. If these habits are allowed to thrive, they can not only be extremely difficult to break, but can also have damaging effects.

Here are a few bad office habits you may find familiar:

Tardy Party

No one is immune to lateness; cars break down, wardrobes malfunction and anything can happen during the morning commute. But when these disasters seem to start happening every week, lateness becomes a chronic condition. Outside of the morning, tardiness in meetings (virtual or in-person) is equally detrimental. A regular routine of arriving late projects a lack of care and a commitment to selfishness.

For a change, try plugging everything – from breakfast to blogging – into a calendar app 15 minutes earlier than regularly scheduled.

No, No, No

Every team needs a devil’s advocate, but even Satan takes a break every now and then. If you find yourself constantly shooting down ideas and trumpeting the chorus of, “no” day-in and day-out, you may be pushing away others in your organization.

Instead, push yourself to branch out and try one new thing each week; it could be as easy as asking a colleague for outside input on a personal project!

Cold Shoulder

Productivity is important, but there’s an important social layer to office life. Lone-wolf work and personal achievements can be empowering, but without collaboration, you may be painting yourself into a professional corner.

Take some time to reach out to others this week, whether it’s just to share lunch with someone new or to offer a helping hand on an assignment – you never know when networking can pay off!

(Not So) Social Media

A “like” will not replace a handshake. Our social world is full of engaging content, but letting these tools creep into your work day can draw focus away from real work.

A little bit of structure can go a long way! Set a few fifteen minute periods each day for you to review your social presence, and then set it aside.

Rumor Mill

He said that she said that he said something, and now everyone involved has lost all credibility. Being the office, “Gossip Girl” (or Boy) may be fun at first, but word travels fast. Before you know it, you may lose the trust of your coworkers.

The solution is simple – find better things to talk about! Reading one new book per month will give you the extra material needed to avoiding chit-chatting about the latest rumors.

A sense of comfort at work is important; just make sure your “Casual Friday” doesn’t slowly evolve into “Casual Every Day.” Bad habits have a way of sneaking up on you, so being aware of your routine is the first step towards change. Do you have any more examples? Share them below!